First, the executive chef of E18hteen and Sidedoor stepped down from his job running the kitchens at the two popular ByWard Market restaurants. Then, Korecki, whose national profile rose five years ago when he made it to the finals of Top Chef Canada, was invited to be among the dozen contestants in that reality TV show’s new spin-off, Top Chef Canada: All-Stars, which debuts Sunday at 10 p.m. on Food Network Canada. Finally, Korecki recently left Ottawa for a prestigious cooking position in Japan.

Q: How did you wind up among the contestants of Top Chef Canada: All-Stars?

A: I got a phone call from the executive producer while I was out at New Edinburgh Park one morning, asking me if I had any interest being in an all-stars version of Top Chef Canada. After a few days of mulling it over I decided to take part in this incredible competition.

Q: What appealed to you about going through the Top Chef experience again?

A: The appeal was that it gave me the ability to reach a broad Canadian audience, and to educate and inspire Canadians to cook and enjoy cuisine — in their homes and in restaurants. Food is a part of everyone’s daily life, and I want Canadians to be engaged in understanding what amazing products we have in this country and how to use them in inventive ways. The experience is tough but ultimately worth it — even if just one more family teaches their kids about good local food, I’ve done my part.

Q: How would you compare your two Top Chef experiences?

A: The first time I was on Top Chef Canada I had only seen one or two episodes and was naive to the extent of the challenges I would have to face. All-Stars was like going skydiving for a second time; you know what you are doing but the rush and insanity remain.

Q: What did being on Top Chef Canada mean for you personally and career-wise?

A: Being on Top Chef Canada has changed my life without a doubt. I’ve had many changes in my personal and professional life — both were positive growing experiences. The biggest change has been the public’s perception of who I am and what I do. Maintaining my passion for life, food and education has helped me keep my head above water.

Q: Why did you step down at E18hteen and Sidedoor?

A: Stepping down from being executive chef of E18hteen and Sidedoor was a tough decision to make. In December 2015, I incurred a rotator cuff injury on my right shoulder, which made me start to question the lifestyle involved with running two restaurants simultaneously and the more than 40,000 hours of kitchen work I’ve built up. Making my health a priority (with success from exercise and massage therapy) helped forge the systems I set up in both kitchens to be able to function at a very high level even if I wasn’t always there — we’re connected by a stairwell which I used 20 times a day, up and down. But even working 10 to 16 hours a day, you can’t be in two places at once. I’ve always wanted to own my own restaurant but knew this wasn’t the time or place yet — and with that, I set up a plan for me to leave.

Q: What have you done since?

A: Since stepping down I’ve been traveling and trying to know (figure out) what to do with free time. Free time is a foreign concept to most chefs. I went through Italy for a few weeks with my girlfriend and backpacked through Thailand by myself. Having the luxury of time, I was able to enjoy picking grapes at Verrazzano and slurping noodles in markets in Chiang Mai. I made time to film Top Chef Canada: All-Stars and spend a few Sunday dinners with my parents in Caledon, Ont.

Q: What are you doing in Japan?

A: Moving to Japan was a quick process. I was graciously recommended by Stephen Beckta on the request of Canadian Ambassador to Japan Ian Burney to fill an immediate contract takeover in Canada’s embassy in Tokyo until the end of July. I had about two weeks to get my life in order for the move and couldn’t be happier or more honoured to have this opportunity — something I would not have even thought of doing before I left my role at Sidedoor and E18hteen. My travels in Asia have always been brief and this seemed like a great way to represent Canada and fully immerse myself in another culture.

Q: What do you think the future holds for you over the next several years?

A: The future for me belongs to Canada, however I can make it best represented. I’m a Canadian boy through and though. There is a challenging question about Canada’s culinary identity that I want to be a part of answering, whatever that takes.

Q: Has Ottawa seen the last of you and your cooking?

A: Ottawa has been my home for over a decade and has seen me through good times and bad. Out of a handful of postcards I’ve sent over my travels, the farmers in Ottawa and Gatineau were the first non-family or kitchen family I ever wrote to — Alex at Juniper Farms and Andy and Cindy at Acorn Creek. I’ll be back. When, where and how I don’t know yet, but the more I travel, the more I am proud of being a small part of Canada’s capital region.

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